A Lion Like Me
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: What happens when Simba has a chance encounter with a monkey who will impact him the rest of his life, when he was the one who set out to make a difference for his new friend in the first place? FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** My co-main character is a Gold Lion Tamarin, but I will explain how he comes to be in a certain lion's district later on. ;)

A week before the Nala encounter...

The air hung balmy and the scent was laced with the exotic aromas of the jungle. A lion of golden-brown fur wearing a calm, restful expression lay out on his back upon a large tree swamped by softly drapping moss. For once, there was no one around and no sounds lingered about. Simba smiled quaintly when there was a thump on his belly.

"_Oof_!"

When the teenaged lion opened his red-brown eyes, he saw a very small orange and black streaked monkey sitting in the center of his stomach. The primate had a tan face with bright, eager chocolate-brown eyes and a wide, friendly smile. And...he sat there.

Simba looked around quizzically for a possible reason that the monkey was there, he saw nothing. Or no one. The monkey was just sitting there to sit there. Carefully, he reached over with his paws to gather the adorable young primate up and place him down just below his feet. The lion then leapt over to another branch and rested the other way on his back, he felt something on his head.

The sight of the monkey gazing down into his eyes made him frown slightly.

"Is there a reason you're on my forehead?"

"I've never seen a lion-monkey your size before."

Simba crinkled his muzzle. "You think I'm a monkey like you?"

The flame-coloured simeon turned gleeful. "You're the biggest I've ever seen!"

"I hate to tell you this, little guy." He tried blowing in his face to get him to get off, that in turn gave no results. "But I'm not a monkey, I'm just a lion. We're different species."

His tapped his chin as he tried saying persuasively. "Well, you have head fur like me."

Simba gave their manes an uneasy comparison glance --- he really didn't know how to break it to the naive little monkey."Well, they're a little similiar. But I wouldn't say that they-"

"Whoa," the little monkey held up one of Simba's large paws in his spindly little fingers, and turned it around. "I think you're right," he held one up to his eye."What's this do?"

"No!" The lion yanked it back before he could squeeze the talon out, sitting back so he was looking down at the monkey. "Isn't your family somewhere you can get to them?"

"No, they're back in the Forests of Rain." He answered seriously, lacing his little fingers through his toes as he rocked back idly on his rump. "But it's really very far from here."

"How far?" Simba laid down on his stomach so he was eye-level with the child, crossing his big paws. "Are we talking days?"

"No, I hardly even remember it. My sister isn't far from here, though , but we got seperated."

"Well..." the young adult lion stood up, and lowered his head."Climb aboard. If you're not afraid of a big scary lion, I guess I can help you out." he volunteered, sighing a bit.

"I'm not afraid of you," He giggled a little as he scampered up his mane, and vanished inside the thick fur despite Simba's fruitless, stuttering protests. "Mmm, how yummie!"

The tiny monkey suddenly appeared on Simba's head, and held a clasped insect in his little fingers. "You've got a lot of bugs," he stuffed it in his mouth."want me ta get'em?"

Simba smiled and chuckled. "Sure, why not. So you eat a diet of grubs too?" He leapt down a few branches with the monkey moving around, and sifting through matted fur.

"Yep, and fruit and lizards. I'm Ruendi by the way." A hand stuck out, and Simba gave it a little shake between his paw stubs as he introduced himself in turn. "I love bugs..."

"I call them grubs." the lion argued casually as he landed upon the last branch. Ruendi emerged and scampered down beside him. "Do you eat anything else?" He asked him.

This left Simba in a conundrum. He didn't want to frighten his impressionable new little monkey acquaintance, but he didn't want to lie either. "We eat a little of everything..."

"Like leaves and trees and stuff?" Ruendi asked eagerly, he geniunely did not know.

"Oh, yeah." the lion sent him a knowing look and pulled a branch his way, tearing off a few sprouts in his teeth. "I always eat my greens five times a day." he worked them all around in his mouth, mixing them with his saliva, and gave the monkey a toothy smile.

The leaf particles stuck to his still perfectly white teeth.

Ruendi covered his hands over his mouth to surpress a laugh before yanking off a few of his own. "Okay, my turn!" he inserted them into his mouth with Simba watching him a bit disapprovingly.

"Ruendi, no one likes a copy cat..."

"Copy what?"

He found he had to lift up his lip over his nose to match Simba's antics.

The lion nearly fell over in laughter when the little monkey grinned widely to show off tiny bits of leaves stuck _in between _his itty bitty, stubby fangs. When he looked down to his chest, Ruendi was already there before he quickly made his way onto Simba's head.

"Well," he said with a little lingering reluctance."Let's get going then."

"I like you, Simba."

He looked up at his new travelling companion and smiled pleasantly.

In a single bound, Simba was down on the jungle floor and headed in the direction of the waterfall district. He didn't doubt that he liked Ruendi, that wasn't a huge concern.

What he doubted was how Timon was going to take to an unexpected dinner guest.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey there! Happy New Year. Here's the next chapter of my mini-series.

I.

Simba felt Ruendi squirming around in his mane as he made his way to the center of the jungle floor, the primate tugged at the insides with his little grabby claws which added to the lion's growing nerves --- how was Timon and Pumbaa going to react to little Ruendi?

"I saved him from a pack of angry wildebeest…? No, they're too far away. I came across him while I was practicing my breast strokes in the stream…? Nah, monkeys don't swim. Or, do they?" he looked up as the saffron monkey appeared on his head. "Do you swim?"

"No, I groom myself."

The exotic foliage parted up ahead to reveal the classic duo preparing a smorgasbord of delectable insects, Pumbaa stirred and served an array of dishes while Timon idly handed him the ingredients. Taking a big gulp, the adolescent lion approached both of his friends.

"Hey, guys," he said, trying to sound casual. "How's it going?"

"Supper's almost ready." His warthog friend announced. "Loosen your waist fur."

Timon glanced over at their large charge, and walked up to him with his arms folded over his tan, scruffy chest. "Someone's acting rather unusual this evening." He said knowingly.

Simba mustered a nothing-out-of-the-ordinary smile. "Timon, can we set a seat for four?"

"Four?" The merekat dropped his expression. "As in… another mouth to feed?"

"Or as in someone to help clean up dishes…" He prodded him with an enticing grin. "It'll just be for tonight," the lion said levelly. " and you won't even notice he's there, Timon."

"All right, all right, jeez. I'm not that fickle. Where is the guy?"

Simba smiled appreciatively and turned to look up on his head. "Ruendi?" he inquired at the lack of small primate. "Ruendi? Um, Ruendi. This isn't the time for games" The lion searched frantically around but found him missing, he had just been riding atop his head.

"That's strange. I mean, first he appears out of nowhere and-."

"Wait," Timon cut him off. "What do you mean he just _appeared _out of nowhere?"

"Like I said, he just showed up on my tummy and now he's gone."

"Like he just _vanished_?"

Simba looked at him scrupulously in response and leaned down to listen to Timon who gestured for the lion, he held the creamy muzzle closely up to his face as he said. "Maybe someone's spent a little too much time in the sun…" This made Simba jerk up right away.

"What! I didn't make him up. Ruendi is a little orange and black monkey."

"Uh-huh." Timon started back towards Pumbaa. "Yeah."

"This tastes great, Pumbaa!" Both of them set their sights on a pint-sized primate taking a small grub, and squeezing its juicy contents into a hollowed-out coconut. "I like to cook."

"Well, stick around after dinner and I'll show you how to make a beetle cream pie." The mahogany pig said, immensely pleased at the monkey lion's enthusiasm. "Pull up a seat!"

Timon's jaw dropped.

"Ha," Simba laughed a little, strutting over to the table with a toothy grin back at him. "I guess you have a real reason to let him stay now." He took his place at the very far end.

The merekat rolled his eyes, and headed over to the other end only to find the primate had taken up residency on the stone stool. Wrinkling his nose, he crossed his arms and waited for their guest to take notice; Ruendi didn't. "Um, hello? Earth up to fuzzy little menace."

He peered over his little arm down at Timon and a realizing look crossed his pink face. "Oh, did I take your spot?" The monkey lion smiled apologetically and scampered over the table to get to Simba. Ruendi excitedly secured a place atop the young lion's mane.

Timon noticed Simba smile with some embarrassment up at the happy-go-lucky kid before he coolly went about picking up his soup bowl, and opening his mouth wide to guzzle up it's buggy contents. He felt a couple of drops plop upon his tongue and looked around to see that Simba and Pumbaa were chugalugging full-to-the-brim bowels without noticing.

"Typical," The merekat mumbled as he reclined back with a foot up against the table.

"Wait," Ruendi interrupted Simba.

"What is it?"

The lion peered up at him from the bowel he cupped in his paws. "I don't think Timon's eaten." They all watched as primate dumped the bug juice into his mouth, placed the half coconut onto his head and moved back over to Timon. The merekat nearly gagged as he spewed the saliva mixed soup back into the bowel, and offered it to him with his tiny feet.

Simba and Pumbaa exchanged uneasy glances with their cheeks round with soup before gulping in unison. "You-" Timon pointed a shaky finger at Ruendi. "You just – right in-."

He cocked his concernedly as he balanced back on his hands. "I just what…?"

The merekat passed out dramatically.

"Timon?" Ruendi inquired.

Simba came around and plucked his friend up by the tip of his tail. "Are you okay, Pop?"

He shook his head with wide eyes and clenched teeth. "I'll never eat soup again."

"Oh… I got some dribble in there," Ruendi reached in an attempt to get it out.

The lion pawed him back. "Just… go take a grooming break."

That night…

"Well, Ruendi seems like a swell little monkey." Pumbaa commented as he scrubbed his old tusks with 'toothpaste' on his leaf tied to a stick version of a toothbrush. "He's got a lot to learn in the kitchen, but aside from that Simba seems to really have taken to him…"

Timon gargled a swig of 'mouth wash'. "Yeah," he gulped it down and went lay out in their embedded grass bed. "But your missin' the point, my rotund roomy. Our duo has become a trio since Simba came along, and what would it become now? Our quarto?"

"Ah, give'im a chance Timon. He's really nice. Wait, I didn't know you spoke Spanish."

The merekat sighed wearily.

"Can you teach me? Oh, please, please, please?"

"Okay," Timon said with a sardonic smile. "Tomorrow-o, El monkey-o goes buh-bye-o."

"El mono ir ¡adios?"

"Eh?"

"Anyway," Pumbaa yawned heavily. "You gotta give the little guy a chance."

The two settled in for the night while a certain monkey lion and lion settled in the trees.

x.x.x

"Well, I can't say it's perfect," Simba mentioned as he tucked in the last of the leaves. "but at least it's soft." Ruendi moved forward and lifted a leaf up, he pretended to give it a nibble with a little smile. The lion laughed a bit to humor him. "It isn't play time."

"Sorry." Ruendi said and wrapped himself up in the large leaves. "Good night."

Simba sat back on his hunches and looked out toward the full moon. The sounds of wild life in the jungle filled the air, and he breathed in comfortably with the familiar noise that was around them. That's when he noticed Ruendi trembling a little under the large leaves.

Carefully, he laid down upon his stomach and inched his way over closer. Simba raised a paw and touched the quivering ball of monkey under the thick, dark green foliage. In an instant Ruendi stopped and peered out at Simba. "The jungle scares me." He said openly.

"I guess I could stay with you tonight." The lion offered.

Ruendi sat up with the leaf encompassing his shoulders. "I haven't told you the whole truth, Simba. I was staying with my sister and some other monkeys, but I thought I could find my parents. Truti told me to wait for them, but I couldn't…" he sniffed softly. "and I didn't."

The lion saw how scared the monkey truly was and looked down at his paws; he had been that way too. It was terrifying to face the world alone and Ruendi had done one heck of a job of it so far. Simba nudged his shoulder and Ruendi turned to him with large, sad brown eyes. "I'll take you home," he said to the monkey. "first thing tomorrow morning."

"No, you can't." Ruendi got up on his feet. "It's too far away."

"Do you know where your sister is?" Simba asked crucially.

He nodded slightly. "I think I do." His voice was meek.

"That's good enough for me." Simba smiled at him reassuringly. "First thing tomorrow."

Ruendi smiled broadly. "First thing tomorrow!" He chipped happily.

To be continued… "nchnnc


	3. Chapter 3

When Simba looked up from his sleep to where Ruendi had been across the way, he saw that his miniscule monkey acquaintance had deserted him. The lion felt like flopping out of the tree from the worry he was experiencing. Gripping his fangs together, he made his way down the branches in sloppy, half-dazed bounds and raced towards the waterfall.

"Ruendi!" His voice rang up into the balmy foliage. "Ruendi, this isn't the time for hide and seek! We have to get you home, remember?" He slowed his pace as he saw that the breakfast table was occupied. "Ruendi," Simba huffed out in between breaths. "You're-."

"_Going _home today," Timon quickly inserted for him. "And we'll all miss him, right?"

"Yeah." Pumbaa sniffed sadly and rubbed his leg against his snout, smiling meekly for the orange-black monkey's sakes. "But who's gonna help me in the kitchen anymore?"

"Aw, Pumbaa," Sympathy filled Ruendi's dark brown eyes. "I'll visit sometime."

"They're right, though." Simba said as he approached them. "I need to help you find out where your family is, and that's going to involve going to the craftiest cat that I know…"

"Simba!" Timon jutted his lower mouth in shock. "But he---, that is---, you don't mean."

"I do." The lion smiled slightly. "Kurou."

* * *

A skin of silky black spots that had been introduced to this strange land at childhood now prowled through all of the vine-strewn and moss webbing of the jungle tree tops. The cat purred to himself as a set of spots on the ground rose him on his toes. He slanted his large amber eyes at the potential mate, and moved down quietly to get a better assessment of it.

"Looks like Cool Cat's gonna get his heapin' helpin' tonight." He said under his voice as he was sneaking up behind the unsuspecting feline. But as he was approaching further, he saw the distinct legs of a thin-legged animal. "Oh," Kurou stood up straight. "A cheetah."

* * *

After having a well-rounded feeding and grooming, the lion and monkey lion made their departure from their friends on the brink of hysterics. Simba smiled lopsidedly at this and looked up on his head to see Ruendi was pleased at the attention as he bid them goodbye.

"You have a nice family, Simba." He mentioned.

"Don't you?"

"Well, yes," Ruendi started to say hesitantly. "But everything's so fuzzy to me."

Simba breathed in and out deeply. "I know how that is, I have a blurred memory of my-."

"Simba." The small primate clutched onto his mane and swept down to meet his eyes. "I don't want to go home," he declared openly. "I want to stay here in the jungle with you."

"W-what?"

"Pumbaa was telling me all about it," Ruendi went on to explain, "And he said you're the master of Hakuna Matata." Simba flinched at his friend's newfound enthusiasm. "Well?"

"Pumbaa said that." He stated knowingly.

"Yep!"

"You have a family, Ruendi," Simba argued levelly. "It would be wrong to keep you."

"I'd keep me." The monkey argued back cheekily, but then pouted. "At least show me."

He turned his hazel-red eyes on Ruendi's bright-eyed expression. "Teach you what?"

"Hakuna Matata."

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

_"Hakuna Matata… what a wonderful phrase." –Timon. _

_"Hakuna Matata, 'aint no passin' craze!" – Pumbaa. _

-The Lion King.

I.

Simba strutted forward, his shoulders making intentional curves and his back bow-legged forelimbs moving to an unheard beat. It was unheard, of course, to Ruendi. But even still he gazed on in fascination as the lion moved forward, and then looked down on to his two front feet. Simba came over and gently tapped his left front paw in a soft beat, and gave a nod as Ruendi moved his in time with him. They moved together from front paw-to-front paw, but when Ruendi spotted that Simba also moved his back paws in time he protested.

"Hey, that's not fair! You've got four feet."

"Well," Simba swirled around on the back ball of his left foot. "You have four feet."

Ruendi raised both fingered appendages and flexed them. "True." He stated simply.

"Hakuna Matata isn't something you get over night, Ruendi. It's a lifestyle…"

The young lion eyed the monkey lion, poised, his head tilted back as he breathed in.

"Or as I like to call it," he gave a moon-walk forward and flipped his mane back. "A life _with _style!" Simba received a giggle at that and then proceeded forward with his strutting.

Ruendi watched on haplessly, wondering if he'd ever be that good.

"Simba?"

"Find your style, Ruendi."

The primate watched as Simba protruded his posterior out and tried to mirror it, but only succeeded in flicking his tail back and forth. Intrigued, Ruendi started marching forward.

He watched as the lion swaggered with low dips, and marveled as his body swayed to the soundless, yet soulful movements he obviously felt inside. They continued down a stretch of jungle forest, attracting attention from everyone every place with their free-flow floats.

"Just let it move through you." Simba told him and gave his rust-red mane a full toss.

"Maybe I'll just watch you for a while." Ruendi finally said and used his little pink-tinted knuckles to maneuver himself onto a fallen tree branch. "I'm getting kinda tired, Simba."

But the lion did not stop. Instead, as if he were impervious to the restraints of exhaustion, Simba began to perform unique patterns of movement with all four paws. Ruendi let his brown gaze linger on, fascinated, as he flexed very muscle from his shoulders to hips.

"Feel it, yet?" Simba inquired idly and strolled over towards Ruendi. He then paused, slid into a crouch and gave the lion monkey an intent look. "And," He shrugged rhythmically.

Ruendi attempted the same thing before letting his fall, shaking his head meekly.

Simba furthered towards the ground and began stalking forward towards Ruendi. The lion monkey grimaced at the idea of such a close contact; he stumbled backwards to get away.

"Simba, stop."

He did.

"Ruendi, what's wrong?" The lion lay down with a good-natured smirk. "We're playing."

"I don't like that kind of play."

Simba stood up and lowered his head down, but Ruendi frowned and opted to travel upon the ground. "How can you live here if you can't take a little rough fun… you," he turned a little more concerned, "You aren't afraid of me, are you Ruendi?" The child looked up.

"Hurt me? No." He said simply.

Simba lowered down and said in reassurance. "Because I would _never _try to do that," he tried to raise a paw out to Ruendi, but he furthered back. "I couldn't do if I wanted to…"

Ruendi sized up the questionable look in his older friend's eyes and smiled. "I know."

"Now look!"

A voice startled them from the treetops.

"Kurou!" Simba laughed, startled.

"If you're gonna live here, little lion monkey. You gonna hafta learn how ta par-tay!"

"It's true." The lion asserted to the confused primate. "And that starts with learning that I'm not a monkey like you, I'm a lion." A slow, steady beat filled the morning jungle air.

"Oh!" Kurou called back down spiritedly. "And did he mention it ends with more fun?"

"Fun?" Ruendi asked.

"All the fun you can have." Simba told him readily. The monkey lion smiled.

Suddenly the idea of having a third main companion around was entirely feasible.

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

~ Golden lion tamarin: In some places, a symbol of hope. ~

…

Ruendi watched the lion as he moved with the steady beat that seemed to emit from out of nowhere. The beat grew as the animals in nearby tree tops began making bustling noises that sounded more rhythmic now. Everywhere things were starting to liven up, and the lion monkey could feel his feet starting to tap the rich green ground again. "In the jungle…" voices now sang in a hush. "In the, in the jungle. Where the pace is slow, but the beat is always right. And we're wonderin', can you feel the beat as it races to your feet and through your, your heart _tonight_…"

On 'tonight' the voices grew with more resplendent harmony, Ruendi moved around with wide eyes and a 'wow' across his pink thin lips. But when he looked around, he saw that Simba was no longer with him. Ruendi gave a little scared whine-mutter and knuckled his way around the area, calling for his friend. There was a low swoosh and a collection of lights that were gathered high and out of nowhere suddenly descended the large opening and fell in mergence on to one person in particular. Ruendi watched as a long shadow cast across him and a creature moving at an eloquent flow traveled across the jungle floor. He felt suddenly alone, just a mere spectator.

"I can't say its right, but it feels right… because I've been struck down before." An alto voice let out an energized solo as the creature with the voice ascended a hundred-foot-tall fallen tree on the ground. "Caught up in my own galore." As he moved, he gave incisions on both of its sides.

"But its riiiight." Everyone vocalized.

Simba appeared in a burst of light at the top, Ruendi looked up and saw a four-legged creature with flicks of golden dots moving while shadows made from spinning and twisting leaves flicked onto him, then down to Simba, something long roped the log's end and Ruendi watched as the log was levered up to a mid air side-ways slant. He was about to cry out for Simba to stop --- he was sure to fall off, when the lion switched about and moved backwards to the now choral and instrument accompanied production. Monkeys and birds in the trees joined in melodic splendor while the ground dwellers improvised with different instruments. Ruendi smiled, ear-to-ear, as the procession continued. Simba sang at the top of his lungs, and yet sounded soft and mellow.

"It's the beat _I can feel in my feet _as it races through my heart --- it feels s'right, especially roun' night. We hope it doesn't end, can't wait for it to start." He emphasized with every motion that he expressed, leaving precise cuts in the long log as he then hoped down and another vine fell to rope the other end. Ruendi watched enthusiastically as it began to rise up into the air slowly.

A long train of monkeys fell now, they were laughing and hollering as they all dove down with their palms flat out, scooping up great handfuls of grubs. Ruendi hopped around as the music went from being singled out to being loud and explosive on all parts of the jungle. Simba came up from around him suddenly, and scooped him up onto the top of his head as they all formed a congo-line down across the jungle ground. Ruendi grinned down at Simba, and he up at him.

"It's the beat!" He sang out.

"_It's the beat…" _Simba joined him, encouraging him to sing louder.

"We can feel it in our feet… racin' through our _heart… don' want it to end but ta start…"_

They now looked up into the jungle sky and were surprised to see a long thread bearing many a primate swooping down on them. Ruendi gasped; Simba grinned. The monkey lion was ready to try and run when the lion he was on raised his paws up and they were instantly gripped by the wrists. Ruendi squalled as they were jettisoned up by the aerial force, the duo flashed by in a great rush of light and music into a catapulted anomaly. Simba laughed, caught up in the rush, as they were whisked high above the jungle trees. Ruendi looked over at him and smiled now.

Tears began to spill from their eyes as they were caught by another vine spewing force and were then snagged back down to earth. Ruendi yelled out in excitement as the two flew into a trampoline/safety net waiting for them. From there they swung into several more with great ricocheting force. They held onto one another, striking back and forth each time now with an even greater sensation then before. Finally, they came to a back-sliding finish across the same log as before. Simba held Ruendi to his chest and landed to a stop on the bark-curling up end.

"Will that be two grub-gobs, Simbs?" A taper- waiter asked.

"That'd be nice, yes please." He replied politely, acting as though they had not just come out of a big theater show. Ruendi was aghast. "Oh, maybe add a little fur to it. He likes his seasoned."

"Simba!" the lion monkey exclaimed. "That… that was _amazing!"_

He shrugged. "That's the full power of Hakuna Matata."

"It's a way of life." the taper explained with a cool smile as she returned.

"But you 'aint ever gonna get better at it then Simba here." A passing primate stated.

"Never has been dethroned." A female hornbill tossed in.

"Of course," a black leopard appeared; Ruendi moved closer to Simba's side. "Who knows?"

The lion was to his paws and passing two over-flowing bug platters to Ruendi. "You're flighty."

Ruendi cowered closer at the intimidating presence.

"You're not scared, are you little guy?"

"Of course not, Kurou," Simba glanced down at the lava-colored primate. "Are you, Ruendi?"

He nodded honestly. "Sorry."

"Hmm." the leopard mused to himself before taking off. "The end of an era may be comin'."

Simba cocked his head, confused. He then remembered and rushed off from Ruendi.

"Hey, wait, Kurou! I need to ask you something."

The leopard turned his mysterious yellow eyes on the lion.

"It's… well, it's about Ruendi's family. He, um, we're looking for them."

There was a sudden incision to a vine above and, Simba recognized quickly, the leopard was going to attempt to swipe up Ruendi! He caught the primate swiftly and rolled off to the side, sending a warning look up to the sneering cat as he rotated away back up into the trees tops.

"Are you okay?"

Ruendi nodded. "Why'd he try and attack me?"

"He wasn't attacking you… it's just that Kurou is… well, different."

The leopard suddenly re-appeared in a crouch behind them, twirling around on an askew log that was vine bound and eyeing them up as a female arachnid might her prey from the safety of her web. "It's called the food web," Kurou explained, "All things eating other things to get by…"

"What'd you eat?" Ruendi peered up at the leopard from Simba's chest.

"Better the question is," the leopard moved in and out of his rotation in deliberate emphasis, his tone of voice edging on ominous, "What do _you _eat? And, where do ya originate from my little monkey man?" Simba kept giving him a look to stop intimidating Ruendi. "Do you know?"

"Where I original from?"

"Where you come from." Simba explained. "Ruendi, stop shaking. He's just eccentric."

"What?" Kurou asked slyly.

"Uh, brilliant!" He said quickly. This could be there only chance of getting Ruendi help.

Ruendi stood up more stoutly on top of the lion's shoulders. "I come from the Forests of Rain."

"Hmm… Forests of Rain you say? It sounds to me that it's a place… where it rains a lot."

Simba rolled his eyes. "_Brilliant _deduction. But have you ever heard of it?"

"Indeed I have not," the leopard sighed and lounged back, "Kurou suggests leavin' it as an afterthought. Live in the present, and say away with the past. Live young, live long and fast."

Ruendi wrinkled his pink face and leapt forward onto the teetering log. Kurou looked up in surprise and Simba tried frantically to get him back down. "I want to try and find my family."

"Do you remember what they look like?" the leopard sat up and brought the log to a stop.

Simba watched in beguilement. He had never seen _anyone _try and talk down Kurou before.

"No. I don't even remember how I got here."

"Amnesia?" Kurou suggested with a toothy grin. "Unintended mental block?"

"No." Ruendi hopped down and onto the end of the log Simba was on. "I just can't remember."

"It'll come back to you," the lion told him reassuringly, "But don't dwell on it."

"Hmm." Ruendi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Where's your mom and dad, Simba?"

Everyone paused from their noisy communion.

"Uh, what?" Simba asked.

"Maybe if you tell me about your parents that will help bring _my _memory back."

Now the lion did not know what to say.

…

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

…

"Where are you going?" Ruendi asked in concern as Simba slipped away from the many boisterous animals, and headed out to the undergrowth. He turned to the monkey with an indiscernible look, nosed him onto his head and headed on further into the entanglement.

"Ruendi, back there." Simba started to explain to him while he gently placed him on a loose, thick vine swing." We just don't talk about each other's pasts like that. It's about Hakuna Matata," he tried reasoning; though it sounded flat, "No worries. Understand…?"

"There's no such thing as 'no worries' Simba." The monkey stated. "I worry."

"Well, ta live here, you _can't _worry." The lion was aware of how absurd he sounded; and grimaced at Ruendi's cocked head, worried now that he sounded weird. "Okay, Ruendi?"

"But don't you ever think about your home," He braved. Simba backed away a little.

"I don't think about it Ruendi."

"Why not!?"

"Because it's in my past."

"How come your eyes are making water?"

"Ruendi!" Simba turned on him with toothed scowl. The lion monkey backed away now himself, like he had earlier when Simba had pretended to pounce. "Ruendi… I'm sorry."

"Are you mad at me?" He whimpered, tears touching his own deep-hued eyes.

The lion was aware of dampness under his lids. "Just drop it, please. And no, I'm not."

"Then what are you mad at?"

"I'm not mad at anything!"

"Then why are you yelling?"

"I'm yelling because I would rather forget I ever had parents!"

The air was still after he said this. All around the pair, noises that had emitted in the far off distance became strained and then dissipated entirely. Simba bit down on his black-pink tongue, hard. He turned with a regretful look to Ruendi, but he wasn't looking at the jaded cat. The monkey was in deep thought when he finally looked up at Simba and said:

"I can't even remember my parents."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Simba abashed.

"I'd rather remember mine all the time then never be able to."

The lion moaned.

Ruendi took off.

"Wait, Ruendi!" He crashed through the foliage in pursuit of the primate. "Ruen, c'mon."

Simba tried keeping up with him, but Ruendi was able to dodge him and; just like he had in the beginning; he disappeared into the jungle. The lion rushed around for the next hour in search of him, growing more and more worried. He was inclined to gather more help, but Simba knew that if he did that others would question his ability to care for the child. The lion monkey was gone, Simba finally decided, and he might not ever see him again. In this moment of realization, Simba pushed through the underbrush and surfaced at the top near the waterfall. He walked up to the mossy mid-point, flopped down and buried himself in his big arms. When Simba was sure that the roar of the rushing spring was loud enough to cancel out his own voice, he allowed himself to sob despairingly into his padded paws.

…

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**I**. – _Simba_

He crashed through the bushes at the screeches that he just knew Ruendi was letting out in distress. The branches thwacked at his less-then-burly frame, and the ground he raced across only seemed to weight him down as he tried rushing to the child's aid, yelling out:

"Ruendi!"

"Simba!" a frightened voice howled back. "Help! Hurry!"

"_Ruen..."_

The lion suddenly found his feet picking up faster, and he practically flew through the air to come within ten feet of a terrible sight. Ruendi, a look of sheer fear struck across his pink face, now had his small back up against a tree. He was trembling, wincing in mortal fear at the danger that posed itself before him. Simba was crouched down and ready to lunge out when a smaller, brighter hued creature swept down and got between the lanky cheetah and the primate. The lion's face dropped.

"Zazu," Simba mouthed in shock. He looked around, saw a hollow tree trunk and released a roar.

…

"I'm worried…" Pumbaa voiced his concerns.

"Worried? Over what?" Timon wanted to know as he paced the already indented dirt floor.

"And I think you're worried too."

The merekat leered over at him. "Why would you say that?"

"You only pace when you're worried."

"Oh."

A blaring horn-like noise caught their attention.

"The alarm," They said together.

…

Simba hesitated from acting, but the cheetah did not. She kept upper back rigid as she came near the two defenseless animals, showing off her perfect rows of needle-sharp incisors. He started on towards them, and then paused. Then again, and then he paused again. The tension was mounting; he could hear the rush of the other jungle animals flying in to their aid. Simba made a snap choice and rushed right into plain view, inserting himself in an enormous leap in front of the startled cat.

"Simba!" Ruendi cried happily.

"Simba!" Zazu uttered in complete surprise.

The cheetah looked between the much larger cat and the bird and monkey cowering behind him.

"Am I to take it you're going to defend them?"

"Leave," Simba said in a deep voice, holding out his paw and extracting four claw points "Now."

"Humph," her small muzzle wrinkled, calling his bluff, "You're so young, aren't you?" Her older eyes fell to Ruendi, "Yet you have this child, who's so much younger then yourself to look after."

"What do you mean?" The lion asked guardedly.

"Why risk exposure to yourself? You very obviously do not wish to make contact with the small bird there. Surrender him and take the child, that way it works out for us both." She tried urging.

"Simba, no." Ruendi said shakily. "Please."

He cringed and looked over his shoulder to the petrified Zazu. Then turned around slowly, head down, and charged forward at the cheetah. They tussled around before Simba got a good hold on her, and thrust her up against a tree. She stared back with her gilded eyes zeroing straight into his.

"Please, no."

Simba breathed heavily, thought of Ruendi, and fell back to the ground in release.

She crinkled her muzzle back and tried going for an attack under his throat when a volley of rocks suddenly pelted her out of nowhere. The cheetah jerked her head around, highly insulted, to see a single stone being tossed up and down in the hand of a glaring Timon. He sat atop Pumbaa with a barrage of other jungle animals backing them. "May I load you once more, my tummy chummy?"

"You most certainly may."

The merekat stuffed two round stones in his nostrils, ready to fire.

Simba smiled confidently. "It's called Hakuna Matata, and it's more then just a lifestyle." He let Ruendi into his point of gaze. "_We're_ a family. We don't just look out for ourselves here; we look out for each other." He met Zazu's startled eyes; letting the bird know that he meant what he said.

"Yeah," Ruendi moved away from the bird to knuckle his way up Simba's back, and stand on top of his head proudly. "We're a family!" he declared. The lion monkey grew wary. "You can too."

They all looked between the bird and the thin-limbed cat. She straightened herself up now, flared her brown-black nostrils at them all disdainfully and the outcast cheetah stalked away. As Timon and Pumbaa dispersed the gossiping animals, Zazu couldn't help but to still stare amazedly at the lion before him. Simba stepped away from him as he tried approaching, his wing out, and took off into the brush with a protesting Ruendi. He crashed through the tropical foliage, trying his best to get them lost and out of the radar of the hornbill. Ruendi finally got fed up and screeched noisily.

"Ah! Ruendi! Right in my ear…" Simba complained.

"I had to do it!" He defended himself. "You were being so weird. Why… why are you?"

"You wouldn't understand," The lion told him with a raspy sigh. He was going at a light jog.

"You don't know that."

"It's just that… Hakuna Matata, you know? It's all in my past."

"That bird guy is part of your past?"

"Exactly!" Simba exclaimed, relieved that Ruendi finally understood.

"And this _bird guy_ would prefer a bit more of an explanation then made up words."

The lion started as Zazu appeared before them both, his wings were pressed into his sides.

…

TBC.


	8. Chapter 8

I.

"Well," the bird requested rather rudely, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Simba stalled, he was unable to speak, what was there to say?

"_Simba_, I presume?" Zazu said as if he were speaking to a cub.

"There's nothing to say." The lion told him stonily. "Come on, Ruendi, let's go."

He stalled now.

"Let's go!" Simba said more edgily.

Ruendi sighed lightly and complied by scampering back onto his head. Together, the two started away. Simba felt the bird's disapproving gaze on his back, and he felt the amount of his own patience beginning to thin quickly. What right did Zazu have to come and just outright demand something! The lion gave his mane a rough shake to stop the irritation.

"This is just like you, isn't it?" Zazu continued to patronize, "Always running away from the problem. I'll bet you didn't know how worried we were. But here you are, of course!"

Simba kept walking.

"Yes, here you are! Just fooling around and wasting your days away lollygagging."

The lion paused. He could almost feel the smugness emitting from the hornbill.

"I'll say this once. Stop."

"And I'll say-."

Simba doubled around and released an ear-splitting roar. This caused Ruendi to jump off of his head and stumble backwards, running away in fear. The lion panicked, realizing he had done the very thing he had tried not to do --- make Ruendi afraid of lions, for though many animals had befriended him in this habitat, they did their level best to give the lion plenty of space. When Simba turned back nervously to look at Zazu, the bird only looked at him in a perplexed stare. He ground his teeth at him, trying to ward him off. Zazu only breathed heavily, shook his colorful beak from side-to-side and took off into the jungles.

"I didn't want it to be this way!" Simba called after him.

"I'm sure you didn't…" The bird called back.

"Don't tell anyone!"

"I'm not looking to."

Then --- he was gone.

Simba ignored the stab of guilt in his chest, didn't bother to ponder over _why _Zazu was even here in the first place and took off looking for Ruendi. He was lost before he even started. The lion wandered around searching, aimless, for the next ten or fifteen minutes until finally he realized that he would not see Ruendi until _Ruendi _wanted to be seen. He was about to return to the middle part of the jungle when he heard a soft whimpering just underneath a tree. Curiously, Simba crouched down and moved over on his belly towards the sound. He peered under some straggly, rotten roots and came to glimpse quite a sight.

"Ruendi!"

The little monkey lion was stuck in a matting of tree sap.

"Simba, I'm…" That's when he remembered and backed away from him.

"Ruendi, I'm sorry." He reached his paw out to him. "Here, let me-."

"Nooo!" Ruendi whined loudly, squirming just out of Simba's reach. "No, go away!"

"I won't hurt you."

Ruendi only glared at him. "Why were you acting so mean? That's not the Simba I met!"

The lion conceded and placed his paw back down, "Ruendi," he said gently, "I would not _ever _set out to hurt you. You're my friend. My grub gobbling pal, remember?" he smiled.

"I remember."

"Then will you let me help you?" Simba continued to speak in a calm voice.

Ruendi nodded slowly. "But… back there… you're dangerous, aren't you?"

The lion sighed. "Yes. But… I'm still the same guy." He smiled; unintentionally toothy.

Surprisingly, the little monkey raised a small pink hand and held it to Simba. He made a face and then raised his paw up. The two palms touched, and when they did a spark of at least partial realization crossed Ruendi's face. Simba wrinkled his muzzle in expectation.

"You don't have fingers." Ruendi smiled.

Simba grinned sheepishly, and then made a quick incision to free the monkey lion. When he tried to move out, however, he found that he was stuck himself in the sap. "Ruendi…"

"Yeah?" The self-proclaimed feline primate cautiously circled around his head.

"I'm stuck." He said flatly.

Ruendi tilted his head and then expressionlessly climbed back onto Simba's head, turned his little fingers into scissors and snipped his way quickly through the lion's own matting of glue-thick glop. The monkey lion instructed Simba to wriggle very slowly out while he went to work at moving bits of leaves and such to counteract the drippings of more sap. The way Ruendi worked, Simba watched in fascination, was to use all four of his tiny, bristled hands (or hand-feet) to not only remove the sap but to make a sap-free way of sliding out.

"Very," Simba said excitedly as he slid his head all the way out, "_Very_ Hakuna Matata!"

"What do you mean?"

"That's your style… oh sure, it might take you a while to do something musical. But hey, that's your talent right there!" The lion encouraged him. "The way you can just do all of those things with your four hands. Yeah, sure, monkeys can do it. But the _way_ you do…"

"The _way_ I do it is Hakuna Matata?" Ruendi questioned.

Simba smiled in amusement, wondering if the primate knew what implication meant.

"You've found your style." He said simply.

The monkey lion smiled back then, satisfied. But he found himself wandering down the path to where the cheetah had obviously fled. Simba followed close behind, suddenly a little anxious. He looked down at Ruendi, who looked after the long, lanky and defeated form of the cat slinking away. Something happened then, and he gave a little, quiet cry.

"Ruendi?"

"I think my mama and daddy, I can't remember, but I think they left me…"

"You said you didn't remember." Simba came to sit by him. "Why would they leave?"

"I don't know. We got moved, I think. My family got moved from the Forest of Rain."

"You just remember bits and pieces?" The lion urged.

Ruendi nodded with his head hung.

Simba frowned but suddenly got an idea. He lowered his down to where the bright orange fur of the primate's back was still pure orange just before it smoothed into its oil colored patterns and started picking around his fur. When the lion produced a red beetle, he gave his throat a deep, clearing rumble. Ruendi looked up at him, puzzled, but then gave a little warbled smile as Simba lowered his head for the monkey lion to search out his huge scalp.

On cue, they both coolly tossed the insects into their mouths and chewed the crunchiness.

"There, better?"

Ruendi sighed. "Not really."

He then ran up to Simba's big forepaw and buried himself in its width. The lion gave his big head a cock back, breathed in and out, and then lowered it down for Ruendi to climb back on. Once he did, they started back into the jungle's depths. However, Simba paused when he remembered his scene at the waterfall and turned around to look down at Ruendi.

The little monkey lion moaned softly, curled up in Simba's ball of mane.

It was then that Simba decided what he had to do.

…


	9. Chapter 9

**I.**

"Mama!" He squealed as he watched the two primates being carted away. "Daddy!"

Ruendi screeched as cold, solid bars met his wiggling arms, trying to reach the lock that secured him in his cage. Other primates like him were hollering out as well, some tried to pick their locks and others were so frightened with rage that they looked to be going insane. A pair of dark figures passed over the monkey lion which caused him to back away into a barred corner, trembling in a small, orange-and-black ball as the two muttered amongst themselves, "Export," One of them said, "Africa. Before morning."

"Mama! Daddy!" Ruendi cried out as one of the figures picked his cage up and left.

"Make sure it gets to the preserve; don't want those biologists poking around looking for these Tamarins." The other figure said as it groped both of the grown up primate's cage handles and took off in the other direction. "Raiding's easy, traveling' is tricky."

"No," Ruendi said quietly. "No…" He looked over at his sister already loaded inside of a dark jeep. "Dakarai!" the primate peered over at his sister. She met his eyes sadly and curled up tightly. "Sister?" He would've said more, but he could only say names.

…

"Mama, Daddy," Ruendi said groggily and then, more loudly, "Mama! Daddy!"

He suddenly came awake, flying up from where he lay within a bushel of bushes.

"Simba?" He folded the large tropical leaves aside. "Where are you?"

Frightened, the monkey lion knuckled his way across the jungle floor in search of his friend. He peered around and behind plants, not use to being the one left on his own. It was _he _who could come and go on his own. Simba knew that. But then, where was he? Ruendi began to whimper softly, thinking that he had been abandoned when very suddenly a presence lingered over him. He gasped, circling around as Simba's broad grin peered down at him. Ruendi laughed and ran over to scale up to the lion's head.

"There you are!"

"What?" the lion laughed a little as he turned around. "Didn't think I left, did you?"

"Well," Ruendi grinned himself. "Not for forever."

"Ruendi," Simba said with seriousness this time. He stopped at a large rock and let his head tilt down to level the small primate onto the top of it. "I promised you that I was going to help you find your family, and the only way will be to leave this jungle."

"You," Ruendi started. "You mean _forever_?"

"We'll leave the back way," Simba nodded over shoulder, trying to get Ruendi to get excited, "Explore the grasslands and beyond that. Y'know, sort of like an adventure?"

"No." He said bluntly. "Simba, it's very far away. I just had a dream… and – and…"

Simba nodded encouragingly. "_And_, what can you remember?"

"Coldness," Ruendi answered, "And black everywhere."

"You still think your sister is out there somewhere?"

The monkey lion sniffed. "Maybe."

"Then let's try it out," Simba grinned wickedly, rushing off into the thickly tangled thicket. Even as Ruendi protested he still pushed forward. "We have everything set!"

"Set?"

…

"Let's see," Timon spoke, mostly to himself, as he took inventory, "A week's worth of bugs?" Simba, donning vine-strewn saddle bags, nodded and said a sure, 'Check!'

"A week's worth of water?"

The lion checked the side of his golden-brown fur bulging with leaf-leaking canteens.

"Check." He turned a little sheepish as the merekat poked the bulges with his stick.

"Right, and, uh, common sense?"

Simba opened his mouth and then closed it, he narrowed his eyes downwards.

"So says the guy who's not even writing anything down."

"It's just for show! At least _I'm _not actually doing something anti-Hakuna Matata."

"No, it's pro-Hakuna Matata." Simba argued calmingly. "Family values, remember?"

Timon noted the forcedness the lion was using and shrugged. "Just be careful, kid."

"I really wish ya didn't have to leave," Pumbaa snuffled as he approached them all.

"I really wish I didn't have ta too." Ruendi said sadly, moving down from Simba to give the warthog a quick embrace. "But maybe my family's out there somewhere."

"And the sooner we leave, the sooner we can see if your family's out there."

Ruendi looked up at Simba. "You really think they might be?"

"We'll never know until we try." The lion winked with a smile.

Excitedly, Ruendi scampered up his arm and came to rest on his mane.

"Bye guys," Simba looked at all of them, "Timon, Pumbaa, thank you all." He turned to the animals at the back, and saw that even Kurou had stopped by on top of a mossy tree branch above. He nodded at the black leopard who nodded back. "Let's go then."

Ruendi grasped the top strands of the lion's mane bangs and wrinkled his tan nose.

"Bye Timon, bye Pumbaa, bye taper lady, bye Kurou, bye…" He grinned at Simba.

"Ready?"

The monkey lion considered things a moment and then nodded. "Ready!"

With early morning beginning to summon in the eastern half of the sky, Simba took off from the jungle's tree lines with the animals calling and waving after them. They looked back at all of them, bidding them farewell as well. From there, the lion and – of course – the monkey lion smiled at each other and headed out into parts unknown.

To be continued…

…


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Well, here we go…

Sunlight pierced the sky as Simba continued his long-legged dash across the grasslands; it seemed to him that in some parts there was some suspicious dying-off of vegetation. In his mind, that was odd because it only got that way around winter time in the jungle. But determined to scope out the lay of the unexplored lands, Simba continued his mission out.

"When you do think we'll reach the Forests of Rain, Simba?" Ruendi asked unsurely.

"We're not trying to find your homeland, Ruendi. We're trying to find your sister…"

From the way Ruendi talked, this _Forests of Rain _was something quite far-fetched and even though he believed his friend, the lion thought that the primate had been too young at the time to remember where he originally was from. This made the more realistic idea of finding Dakarai seem possible and – Simba sighed in remembrance of Timon – a sane move. But as the heat of the rising sun hit them, Simba remembered something else now.

…

_High noon…_

A half-snapped tree branch proved the perfect shade as they entered desert land.

"I forgot it could get so hot so fast…" the lion grinned, sweating trickling off his mane.

"I remember the hotness," Ruendi mentioned as he rocked back and forth on his bottom in a calm rhythm, sipping the water from the fern grove leaf Simba had told him to wrap up in the previous night, "But it's from so long ago," his shoulders dropped. "It's fuzzy."

"Hey, Hakuna Matata." Simba reminded him. "Remember Kurou's advice?"

"Just remember when I can remember?"

"Exactly." He nodded, but then frowned and took the slit-opened canteen from Ruendi.

"Simba…?" Ruendi questioned, little drips falling from his pink mouth.

"Better leave some for the big, thirsty lion."

…

A rocky expanse with sprouts of growth formed along an outcropping in the distance ahead. Simba breathed in deeply and dragged his feet forward to rest beside the thick stony plant wall. The monkey lion knuckled his way up to him, tilting his head sideways.

"Sleepy?"

"Tired."

"Same thing."

"Not completely…"

"…I am kind of tired."

"Well, I guess we can rest here for tonight."

"I'm so sleepy…" Ruendi yawned.

"Hmm." Simba walked over to look up at the sun-setting sky.

"What're those things Simba?"

"What?" the lion asked; caught off guard.

"Those shiny things up in the sky?"

"Well, they're... monkey lions." He smiled a little. "King monkey lions from the past..."

"The past?" Ruendi looked up at Simba curiously.

"Yeah," the lion sat down and looked up as the blue of night sapped the blue of day.

"So... where are they now?"

Simba got caught on that question and looked down at his paws in silence.

Ruendi pressed his lips together and moved over to stand in between his legs.

"They're watching over us."

"Simba?"

"Yes, Ruendi?"

"Are you afraid?"

The lion sighed deeply. "No," he pawed the primate gently inward.

"It's okay if you are..." Ruendi assured.

"Why should I be?" Simba smiled down at him. "When I finally have a reason to be brave."

...


	11. Chapter 11

**I. **

As morning engulfed the heart of the desert lands, a sole figure rose up to greet the fast spreading rays. It's large, fanged mouth opened with an even larger yawn as the creature revealed itself to be that of a head-furred cat, stretching the length of its big but not quite well-muscled body to flex out its knotted muscles. He shook off his body, and moving to face the source of the feathery red mist that hung in the cool sands, Simba found himself a convenient spot further down from the outcropping he and Ruendi had used for shelter.

_No water to swim in, _The lion thought with slight agitation, _Gotta clean the normal way._

Simba pawed down the shifty grains and made himself comfortable between a tiny dune with a good-sized indention in it. He sat down, bringing his shoulders back and wrapping his long, flowing tail around his ankles as if to hide himself there. A quick survey around showed no one. Simba composed himself and raised his large furry arm. He snuck a few more side glances here and there before moving the front of his muzzle to his big armpit.

Once his wet nose was wedged comfortably in just the right spot, he made tongue strokes.

_Slurp, slurp, slurp._

Then there came a slightly louder, _slurp, slurp, slurp._

"Ruendi," Simba said patiently.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"What are YOU doing?"

"Grooming myself."

"You don't groom like that," He smiled cheekily, "You groom like this."

Simba watched amusedly as Ruendi plucked an insect from his fur and plopped it in his little pink mouth. The lion started to give him a sarcastically surprised look, which was quickly mimicked by Ruendi. He then flashed a wide, white-toothed grin. Once the lion monkey attempted this, Simba realized that he had him beat but once it was obvious that his friend's upper lip was stuck in place the brief triumph wore off. Ruendi squealed out.

"Hold still, hold still!"

"Mmm-mmm!"

"This is why it's not a good idea to play copy cat," Simba told him, licking his talon and unsealing the primate's upturned lip with its wet tip, "There! Just like nothing happened."

"Sorry…" Ruendi grinned coyly.

"Well," The lion went back up to the rocky ridge, "Let's get our stuff and keep going."

…

By mid-day the two had reached a welcoming surrounding of fresh green grass that gave Simba a sense of familiarity. He had never really cared for desert, and if it were up to the lion he would have stayed in his jungle oasis home the rest of his life. But – if this didn't work – he would turn back by the following morning and start right for home. He had to give it one more final push though. It was not for Simba; after all, it was just for Ruendi.

"Simba," the monkey lion started to speak in a small voice of doubt.

"What?" He asked, afraid his friend was already losing hope.

"I think something's wrong."

Simba hung his head dramatically.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, it feels like something's just… not right."

"Specifics?" The lion turned to him. He was a little too tired for games right now.

"Simba," Ruendi scampered off of his shoulders, frightened. "Look out, Simba!"

One second he was trying to get Ruendi back, the next Simba found himself cut off from all sides as long, rod-like arms and mouths of razor-filled teeth flew at him. He let out a terrific roar that caused the monkey lion to scamper out further into the bushes. With his pair of wide, disbelieving eyes, he saw as three cheetahs pinned him to the ground. From beneath their combined strength, the lion found that they were mercilessly pressing down on his windpipes and were possibly moments from suffocating him. Finally though, as he began to wheeze out a desperate plea for air, the female cheetah from yesterday gave it to him. She stared at him beadily, an absolute purpose behind her very fast and rather vicious ambush.

"The bird."

"What about him?" Simba croaked weakly.

"He broke free from his confines and we have been instructed to find him."

The lion struggled under her perfectly poised leer.

"I don't know where he is," Simba admitted, though the mystery of Zazu only grew.

"You have four minutes to tell us," She pushed down again on his throat. "Or else."

"Ruendi," Simba coughed out, "Run, Ruendi! Go on without me!"

The moments seemed to stretch far too long as a blur started to fringe around the corners of his red-brown eyes. He was about to surrender to going unconscious when a loud, shrill 'RAWR_!'_ woke him up with a startled inhale that made them fall back into the grasses. But before Simba could try and attack them, a pair of passion-filled baboons jumped from his backside. The angry pack of animals was led by a flame-streaked female one that was just too big to be Ruendi, the monkey lion screeched noisily and thrust out at the lead cheetah.

"RAW!" She screamed.

As Simba stumbled back in disbelief, watching the brown, red-bottomed monkeys as they wrestled the three shocked cats into the long reeds, a cheek-to-cheek grinning Ruendi was making his way up to the side of him. When the lion gave him a questioning look at what he had done, the monkey lion gestured at a large, hollow stump with a long, narrow wood projection sticking out of it. Simba's face brightened in memory at the fact that his friend had used the same method of alerting danger as _he _had. Ruendi eyed down at his feet now.

"Ruendi, hey! What's wrong? We would've been goners without you!" Simba told him.

The primate didn't look up.

"If this is about copying me, then don't worry about it. You can copy me forever!"

"It's not that… it's just that," He peered up sadly, "I know I'm not a lion."

Simba felt his eyes moisten.

"What-what do you mean?" he forced a grin. "Of course you are!"

"Simba… I know you're supposed to eat me."

"What?"

"I finally figured it out," Ruendi said temperately. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The lion sighed heavily, "Because I didn't want you to be afraid and leave me."

He rubbed at his chocolate eyes, "I thought you didn't want me around."

Simba shook his head. "You've got it wrong, Ruendi."

"Why?"

"Because now I don't know if I can let you go."

To be continued.


	12. Chapter 12

**I.**

"Ruendi," Simba looked down at his primate friend.

"Simba," He said uncertainly.

"If you need a moment…" Dakarai suggested.

"Please," The lion spoke seriously.

She turned to the baboons at either side of her flanks and nodded. They grunted and went back into the tall grass surrounding them. Ruendi looked up as Simba tried to smile now.

"Simba…" He said.

But he only stared down at Ruendi; this would be the second most difficult thing that the young lion had ever done. Sighing softly he said, "I'll never forget you Ruen. I'll, I'll…"

"Simba." Ruendi reprimanded slightly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm supposed to get upset." His voice and eyes got heavy.

"Yeah, I know." The lion admitted. "But this is where I let you go, right?"

Ruendi stood upright like he had seen his sister. Simba backed up a bit, surprised now to see his friend trying to walk on only two feet. He took a few awkward steps forward only to fall back onto all fours. Simba walked forward, smiling with a stifling breath near him.

"You're a lion, Ruendi." He said with a chuckle. "You can't deny it any longer."

But the monkey lion stepped away from him.

"Ruendi-" Simba tried to get to him but he only continued stepping away.

Wordlessly, and very quickly, he closed the space between him and Simba in one bound and clutched onto his mane. His little chest heaved with each breath he took, "I'll never forget you either, Simba," the lion raised his paw and hugged him back, "I love you…"

"You're my friend, Ruendi, and a lion. Nothing's ever going to change that."

"I'll miss you."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Simba. Thank you."

And when Simba looked up again, he was gone. The lion checked around his paws and saw with an astounded expression that he was all alone. Stricken, Simba downheartedly started to move to leave when he heard noises up in the distance trees – they were happy.

**II. **

**"Dad, I see someone coming."**

The lion with the whitening mane and aging face stepped up to the young, impregnated queen. He had taken a ceremonious leave (as was always custom) and had bowed out of his kingship. "Well, let's see then." Simba assured his daughter – Kiara had been moody.

"They look like they've traveled a long way."

He felt his breath suck in. "Dakarai."

…


	13. Chapter 13

**I.**

"I'm sorry," The old primate, her once black fur layered with orange now grayed, said.

Simba didn't say anything even as his grown daughter tried to comfort him. He turned to walk back to the cavern as Kiara gave her thanks to the trio who had trekked all of these miles to deliver the terrible news to the old lion. His daughter suddenly came to his side but stayed back a bit as she escorted him along. Simba had his head in a world of thought when he felt something nagging at him; Kiara questioned him as he started going back to the edge of Pride Rock, but he didn't pay mind to her as he stared up into the skies above.

It was twilight as the stars had appeared unbidden in the now indigo-turning firmament as Simba made his way slowly to the pointed peak which ensured a painful drop of at least a good twenty-or-so story. He continued to ignore her absentmindedly as he finally came to his destination, his eyes averted a bit and then, with a heavy heart, looking up once again.

"Father," Kiara said unsurely.

"Come look." Simba encouraged.

The lioness came up beside her father again and the two spent the next few minutes doing something they hadn't done since she was a cub – star-gazing. They both felt a sensation of enjoyment wash over them, going over the familiar patterns as they did. But eventually Kiara turned to look at him in puzzlement, and he finally met her eyes with great sorrow.

"Daddy…"

"Do you see that new formation, Kiara?" Simba spoke to her calmly.

"New formation…?" her voice trailed as she reassessed the sky, coming up short. "No."

"Look again." The lion indicated upward with his paw. "Right next to the jackrabbit."

"Oh," She grimaced, "I thought it was a baby rabbit."

"It's been a while." He replied solemnly.

The two were quietly joined by a new pair.

"Well, I'll be." Timon said with a hoarse chuckle, leaning on his stick like a cane.

"It sure is a sight for sore eyes to see the little fella again." Pumbaa commented as well.

"It sure is." Simba agreed with a smile down at his best friends.

They smiled back and even Kiara managed one in spite of herself. The four, soon joined by the new king, Nala and a pair of dark and golden-brown cubs kept their eyes trained to the darkening sky in their own realm of appreciation. Simba felt tears caress his eyes as a lion – next to a familiar primate figure – gleamed studded silver in a vast eternal canvass.

The end.


End file.
